HumCPR sure has chutzpah

We appreciate Grant Scott-Goforth's excellent reporting on the transparency lawsuit brought by the Humboldt Coalition for Property Rights against the county ("Transparency lawsuit continues," Times-Standard, March 7, Page A1, and "County records lawsuit continues," Times-Standard, April 4, Page A1).

In the March article, Mr. Scott-Goforth called our attention to the request by HumCPR's attorney, Allison Jackson, "for $70,000 to recoup Jackson's legal fees."

Let me get this straight: HumCPR filed suit against the county -- which they have every right to do. And presumably they hired Ms. Jackson to represent them -- again, which is their right. But instead of having HumCPR pay Ms. Jackson's legal fees, Ms. Jackson now wants Humboldt County taxpayers to pay her legal fees.

Fortunately, as Mr. Scott-Goforth reported in his April article, the county declined the request for $70,000 to recoup Jackson's legal fees. Three cheers for the Board of Supervisors! Ms. Jackson should be reimbursed by the very organization that hired her in the first place.

As Uncle Angus was fond of saying, "There's no harm in asking. The only harm is in saying yes." (He also coined the term "industrial-strength chutzpah.")